Description:

Hair Wrap was the first garment I ever knitted from start to finish. Living in Texas, the traditional first project, the scarf, just didn't do it for me. I new I needed to start small, but I just couldn't see myself agonizing over every stitch of a garment I'd have the occasion to wear maybe twice a year, at most. Besides, I already had 3 homemade scarves from my mother, my aunt and my mother-in-law... that I was able to wear about once a year (they had to be rotated, of course).

I frequently wore bandanas in my hair to keep it out of my face while I was working, and those little knit triangles were 'in' that fall. I didn't think they were very practical as they were, however, because they tied with strings under your hair and didn't really stay put. I set out to look for a simple pattern to make them with (I didn't even know what increases or decreases were at that point). Even with pretty accepting standards, I couldn't even find one pattern that looked doable.

Not being one to give up easily, I decided to make my own. How hard could a simple triangle of cloth be? Well, I soon discovered that I needed to learn to do either increases (if I started from the point) or decreases (if I started at the band). After a brief internet search, the easiest thing to do seemed to be the yarn-over (YO) for increasing, and the knit 2 together for decreasing. I much preferred yarn-over.

I set to work. I had to start over twice because I didn't realize those little holes from the YO were supposed to be there at first. 'Ooooo,' I thought once I decided they were supposed to be there-I can make a pattern with those! I added YO's in the middle of the triangle to make a pretty lace-like flower, and I added more at the band to make it lacey looking. Lovely.

And it had only taken me a couple of days to make. Soon my roommates wanted them (I only asked if they did once, I swear), and my mom too. Soon after, I made one for my now-husband as he has Lots of Hair (see above). The first one for him worked well, but he wore it so often, it fell apart. He suggested I make one bigger the next time around so it would last longer. So I did. Only, I lost track of how much longer and ended up with what looked like a man diaper... It ended up fitting perfectly, however, and he decided that was his preferred size!

This pattern is so easy-it almost doesn't even need a page of explanation. I just put in a couple of methods I use to size it the way I want-you can easily (even if you're a beginner) eye it as you go to change the shape depending on your yarn and needles. If you want a more rectangular shape, increase every row. If you want a pointier shape, increase every 2 or 3 rows or more.

Materials:

• Some yarn... I used cheapo stuff I found on sale in Worsted Weight
• 1 set of straight knitting needles, US #8 (or your desired size for gauge)
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle to weave in the ends
• Measurement of width needed to tie ends around your (or whoever you're making it for's) head

Pattern Notes:

• If you want a pointier scarf, skip more rows between YO rows

• If you want a more rectangular scarf, do the YO's more frequently (every other row or every row).

• If you modify the rows you YO, make sure you're yarning over at either end of the fabric, otherwise only one end will increase and the other will be straight

Abbreviations:

CO cast on

YO yarn-over

K knit

BO cast off (bind off)

Pictures all link to (much) bigger versions.